


Challenge

by DawnieWrites



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: 100 Themes, AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Death, F/M, Family, Future-fic, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, MaKorra, Pregnancy, Romance, Smut, ish, life - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-01
Updated: 2013-07-01
Packaged: 2017-12-16 19:49:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 16,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/865941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnieWrites/pseuds/DawnieWrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>100 Themes challenge. Makorra-based.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 55. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There are tears welling up in her eyes and Mako thinks that maybe, just maybe, he managed to reach her. And then she bends at the waist and throws up all over his shoes."

The first time Mako sees Korra drunk is not exactly the most pleasant memory for either of them. They are somewhere between the North Pole and the Eastern Air Temple, fairly close to Ba Sing Se, and it's the dead of Winter and he has her well and truly pissed. It's their first argument, well, their first _real_ argument anyway, and it makes them both so angry that they're practically sick to their stomachs. So angry that not even Bolin can calm either one of them...and all because of one stupid, seemingly innocent comment.

"Mail!" Bolin yells as he walks into the small house the three are renting from one of the locals. "Just came by messenger hawk," he informs them, dropping a couple letters in Mako's lap. The firebender picks up the first one, opening it as Bolin removes his coat and Korra walks in from the bathroom, attempting to run a comb through her damp hair.

"Who's it from?" she asks, quickly giving up on the comb and using her firebending to dry her hair.

"It's from Asami," Mako informs them, obviously surprised. It wasn't that often that they heard from the dark-haired beauty now that she had taken over running Future Industries.

"Really? What does it say?" Bolin asks excitedly, walking over to look over Mako's shoulder.

"She talks a bit about the city's reconstruction, Beifong's reinstatement as Chief of Police, some of the remaining Equalist protests," Mako pauses, reading a bit farther down before his face lights up. "They're re-opening the pro-bending arena!" Bolin lets out a whoop of happiness as Korra walks past them into the small kitchen.

"Let me see," the earthbender snatches the paper from Mako's hands and begins reading the letter out loud. " _'The re-building is going faster than expected and the arena should be ready for its grand re-opening by the end of next month. I spoke with the committee and they agree with me that a commemorative match between the best pro-bending teams would be a great re-opening ceremony. Was hoping to hear your opinions on the subject and maybe see you soon.'_ Oh man this is great!"

"Yea, great," Korra remarks bitterly, causing both brothers to look at her.

"Something wrong Korra?" Mako asks, standing up.

"Nope." Mako raises an eyebrow, looking at his brother, but Bolin just shrugs.

"Korra?" he tries again.

"What?" she snaps.

"What's bugging you?"

"Nothing's bugging me." Her words are short and crisp and both Mako and Bolin can tell that she is lying.

"Come on Korra. I think all of the cold weather may finally be getting to you."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" he can tell she's just looking for an argument now.

"Exactly what it sounded like; you've been in a bad mood ever since it started snowing here."

"Well if you're so sick of all of the _cold_ ," she bites out, "maybe you should just go home to your _precious Republic City_."

"Stop being ridiculous."

"Is it so ridiculous?"

"If you've got something to say, then just say it Korra, and stop talking in circles."

"Guys, I really don't think you want to do this," Bolin interjects weakly.

"Stay out of this Bolin!" they both shout.

"Fine, you want me to say what's on my mind, Mako? Then tell me this: what do you really miss? Pro-bending, or something else? Or should I say some _one_ else?"

"You're not really trying to make this about Asami."

"You said it, not me."

"I don't believe this!"

"Why not? It's not like it hasn't happened before!"

"That has got nothing to do with this!"

"Whatever," she scoffs, pushing past him and grabbing her parka; she slips it on over her head as she opens the front door.

"Korra, where are you going?"

"OUT!" she shouts, slamming the door behind her.

"Korra!" he lets out an angry shout and turns around to find Bolin giving him a pointed look. "What?"

"Dude. Not cool. Go after her!"

"And have her even angrier at me? No thanks bro."

"Mako, she's insecure!"

"You do know that this is Korra we're talking about, right Bo?"

"Yes. Korra. The seventeen-year-old girl who literally has the weight of the world on her shoulders. The girl you love. The girl who loves you. The girl whose only real friend before she met us was a _polar bear dog_."

"She just needs time to cool off; she'll be back soon enough," Mako states, more to reassure himself than his brother.

                                                                                       -*-

An hour later and Korra hasn't come back; two hours later and still no Korra. It's not until she's been gone for three hours that Mako starts getting worried and he pulls on his jacket, pulling open the front door and heading out to look for her.

                                                                                       -*-

He finds her in a pub almost ten blocks away; she's sitting at the bar surrounded by about twelve empty glasses and nursing another almost half-full one of some kind of foul-smelling alcoholic concoction in her hands, her cheeks sporting an oddly charming rose-colored blush.

"How long have you been here?" he asks quietly from where he is standing next to her.

"Why d'you care?" she slurs.

"Korra..."

"Just go back to th' damn City Mako. Know y'want to." Mako sighs.

"Come on Korra, we're leaving."

"No'm not. Haven't finished my drink."

"I think that you've had enough to drink." She glares at him and he knows this can only end one of two ways. In the end, he chooses the lesser of two evils and grabs the glass from her.

"Hey!" she protests, but he downs the drink himself before she can say anything else, wincing slightly as it burns its way down his throat, and he can feel the slight aftertaste of cactus juice behind the alcohol.

"We're leaving," he repeats. She pouts at him but complies, grabbing her parka off of the stool next to her before following him out of the pub. They only manage to get maybe two blocks before Korra stumbles and Mako holds out an arm to catch her out of instinct.

"Don' touch me!" she snarls, pushing him away and stumbling backwards. "You're a jerk, tha's wha' you are! You're nothin' but a-a great big jerkbender! So jus' go! Fly off to your big bright city where i's warm and bright and be the shiny knight in pro-bendin' armor on your stupi' fire ferret with your stupi' lil damsel in distress! I don' _need_ you! I don' need _anyone_! 'm the _Avatar_! I can handle bein' alone!" Mako's eyes go wide as he realizes that Bolin was right; for all the strength and power and confidence that she exuded, Korra had her insecurities. He lets out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding and reaches out, pulling Korra into his arms despite her struggles and protests.

"Stupid girl," he murmurs in her ear, making her freeze, "don't you know by now how much I love you? Don't you know by now that I would never leave you behind?" His grip on her loosens and she takes a step back. "I'll follow you to the coldest ends of the North Pole and back." There are tears welling up in her eyes and Mako thinks that maybe, _just maybe_ , he managed to reach her through the alcohol fogging up her senses. And then she bends at the waist and throws up all over his shoes and he realizes that she is well and truly smashed and he'll probably have to repeat himself in the morning after he has carried her home and she's done complaining about what is sure to be a killer hangover; but somehow he finds that he really doesn't mind repeating himself to her.


	2. 58: Kicking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He grunts when one of Korra's feet connects with his knee as she shifts in her sleep. Mako groans as Korra continues to sleep, oblivious to the world."

Most nights, Korra is not a light sleeper. She has accustomed herself to the sounds that make up Air Temple Island and Republic City at night. She sleeps deeplyand sometimes violently, Mako discovers when he is startled awake in the middle of the night by a knee in his thigh. His arms tighten around the girl in question before his eyes open and his brain is semi-functional.

"Korra?" he murmurs; no response, just the soft sound of her deep, even breathing. His grip relaxes slightly and he closes his eyes, waiting for sleep to come again. He is floating somewhere in-between sleep and wakefulness when something makes painful contact with his shin, jolting him into full awareness. Korra is still sleeping soundly and the only other sounds he can hear are the usual dim background noises of cars and people in the streets outside of the small apartment he and his brother shares. For all intents and purposes, he should still be sound asleep; unless

"Oof!" he grunts when one of Korra's feet connects with his knee as she shifts in her sleep. Mako groans, resting his forehead on the back of Korra's neck as she continues to sleep, oblivious to the world. He closes his eyes hoping she's done shifting and moving; he can tell it's one of the first nights of real sleep she has gotten since this whole war with the Equalists started, (and since it ended), and he doesn't want to wake her.

He's convinced that Korra has finally settled and is dozing lightly himself when a foot collides with his leg, dangerously close to his groin. Mako sighs and untangles his arms from around his girlfriend, rolling over and checking the clock on the bedside table. It's five-thirty in the morning and the sun would have been rising in an hour or two anyway; a much more peaceful way to wake up to be sure, but, as he had learned by now with Korra, far less interesting. He sits up and gets out of bed, narrowly dodging another kick as Korra rolls onto her stomach, arms wrapped around a pillow.

He's surprised to find that Bolin is already awake, sitting at the small table in the kitchen staring blankly at a cup of tea. Bolin's not one to rise with the sun, Mako holds that firebender stereotype; his brother is more likely to rise long _after_ the sun.

"Girl problems?" Mako jokes, taking a seat across from his brother.

"You have _no_ idea," Bolin mutters, not intending for Mako to hear him; but he does, and he raises an eyebrow at him, clearly expecting him to elaborate. "Why are you up?" Bolin asks instead, obviously avoiding the topic.

"If the name weren't already taken, I'd seriously consider changing our team to the Rabaroos." Bolin gives him an odd look and Mako rolls his eyes, stealing his brother's half-empty cup of tea and taking a sip before he explains. "Korra kicks in her sleep." Bolin stares at him for a second and then bursts out laughing.

"Oh that's priceless!"

"Would you pipe down?" Mako hisses, eyes flicking to the closed door leading into his bedroom.

"Sorry bro, I just find it hilarious that Korra beats you up just as much when she's sleeping as she does when she's awake." Bolin snickers. "That's karma for you!" Mako glares at him, rubbing at slowly forming bruise on his thigh.

 _'Karma indeed.'_ But he still can't help the smile on his face later that morning during practice when Korra notices the purpling bruise on his shin and Bolin bursts out laughing again.


	3. 90: Protect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She is twenty-six years old with an entire world to protect, but she knows that she will always be able to count on Mako to protect what matters most."

Korra doesn't remember much of her childhood up until her sixth birthday. She doesn't remember the first five years of her life that were actually spent with her parents; all she knows of those years are what people have told her; that she was bending earth, water, and fire by the time she was four and a half; that her parents were always so proud of her; that they protested, her dad yelling and her mom crying when the White Lotus Elders returned on her fifth birthday to seclude her away in the compound.

She remembers her sixth birthday most vividly because it was the day that not only Katara arrived from the North Pole to formally begin her waterbending training, but it was also the first time that she saw her parents in almost a year. She remembers being afraid that they wouldn't be able to recognize her, remembers one of the female White Lotus Sentries scooping her up into a tight hug and reassuring her that no matter what, her parents would always recognize her because she looked like them and would always look like them, remembers the feeling of safety and warmth.

It's the one thing that she can honestly say that she misses about the compound when she first comes to Republic City, that sensation of knowing that she was always safe and protected. Something she missed sorely until she was able to re-discover it not just on Air Temple Island, but with Mako and Bolin as well. They were her first _real_ friends besides Naga. She would always be grateful to the White Lotus for protecting her, but growing up in a secluded compound had done absolutely nothing for her social life.

Which was why she was even more grateful for her parents, who managed to protect her in their own way; they made sure that she always knew how to get home, so that when she did manage to sneak out of the compound, (it was going to happen whether they liked it or not, they knew), she would never get lost. Her father taught her how to hunt and survive; broke tradition and not only gave her the warrior's wolf tail, but also took her ice-dodging on her fourteenth birthday shortly before her firebending master arrived to begin her training. Her mother provided warmth and comfort and reassurance, helping her through her training as a healer and soothing her frustrations with tea and stories of her and Tonraq's childhood.

There are footsteps behind her, breaking her meditation and rousing Korra from her thoughts. She opens her eyes and turns around to find Mako standing behind her with two cups of tea.

"Meditating with Aang?" he asks, handing her one of the warm cups and taking a seat next to her underneath the tree on the cliff over-looking the island's docks.

"No. Just thinking."

"About what?" He pulls her into his side.

"My childhood; my parents." She replies, taking a long sip of her tea to ward off the chill that comes with the beginning of fall. She knows that his own childhood is a sore subject, almost all of it spent on the streets, fighting to protect his little brother and to survive.

"It'll be different this time," he whispers; the arm around her waist tightens slightly and she smiles.

"I know." Her hand finds his and she tangles their fingers together over the gentle swell of her stomach that is just starting to show. She is twenty-six years old with an entire _world_ to protect, but she knows that she will always be able to count on Mako to protect what matters most to the both of them.


	4. 78: Due Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Later, once the baby is sleeping, Korra smacks him in the back of the head. But secretly, she can't help but agree with him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one can be considered a follow-up to the previous one, #90: Protect

Korra is almost eight months pregnant, (thirty weeks to be precise, but Mako would die of embarrassment if people knew that he was actually keeping track), and is absolutely glowing. She wears pregnancy well, taking it in the same stride as she does everything else in her life, dressing in flowing skirts and shirts that hug her stomach in a flattering way. She is laughing with Jinora, who has just celebrated her nineteenth birthday this past week and who is currently braiding Korra's long hair; she had let it grow out over the past few years and had taken to wearing it loose around her shoulders since her pregnancy had begun to show.

Footsteps alert Mako to Bolin's presence on the dock behind him and he turns slightly to face him. He has one hand on Naga's neck and is still wearing his Metalbender's uniform, watching Korra and Jinora.

"Naga's all packed," he informs Mako absent-mindedly.

"Great; we should be able to leave as soon as Pema and Tenzin and the rest of the airbenders get here to say goodbye." Five months ago, shortly after Korra had found out that she was pregnant, she had approached Mako cautiously, telling him that she wanted the baby to be born in the South Pole and, much to her surprise, he had agreed; the two had then decided to spend the last two months of Korra's pregnancy, and the two or three months following, there with her family.

"Only two months left," Bolin reminds him, "you excited bro?"

"Excited...and terrified," Mako admits.

"You'll be fine," his younger brother states, "you'll be a great dad!"

"How can you be so sure?" Bolin turns to face him.

"Dude, you practically raised me; I'm sure a baby will be no problem at all." Mako can't help the smile his brother's words bring to his lips.

"Korra?" Jinora's voice, laced with concern, catches Mako's attention immediately and he turns to find the two women standing, Korra resting one hand on her stomach.

"It's nothing," he hears Korra assure the younger girl, "probably just kicking." But he knows what her face looks like when the baby kicks, remembers the look of surprise and excitement the first time it happened; he knows the way her eyes light up and she rubs her stomach in a placating way whenever it happens now, and this is definitely _not_ just the baby kicking. He knows this from the way she's wincing slightly, knows that she is probably biting her tongue to keep from crying out, and it has him running to her side, Bolin hot on his heels.

"Korra!" he grabs her free hand, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm fine!" she insists, waving him off. Then she winces again, and this time it's accompanied by a short scream, silenced quickly by her biting her lip.

"The baby's not kicking, is it?" Mako asks gently; Korra shakes her head.

"But it's too early! My due date is ten weeks away a-and we're supposed to be in the South Pole! Aah!" She's quiet for a moment after that, hand clutching the fabric covering her stomach as Mako rubs soothing circles on the small of her back. "Mako?"

"Yeah?"

"I think my water just broke." There is panic in his eyes now and time seems to stand still until Jinora decides to take charge.

"Bolin, take Korra," she orders, "Mako, run and find my parents and tell them what's happening."

"But-!"

"Don't argue with me Mako! You're the fastest one here next to me, and unless you know anything about giving birth, I suggest you get moving." Mako looks at Korra, who lifts her head to meet his eyes, and he can tell that she is scared, just as scared as he is, if not more so.

"It's okay Mako," she whispers soothingly, "I've got Bolin and Jinora looking out for me, and you'll be back in no time."

"I'll be back in no time," he repeats confidently, squeezing her hand and kissing her lips chastely before Bolin scoops her up into his arms and Mako takes off towards the Air Temple at a dead sprint.

"How ya doin' there Korra?" Bolin asks a little awkwardly as he and Jinora start towards the temple at a much slower pace, careful not to cause Korra any discomfort.

"Oh, you know, just havin' a baby," she replies shakily. "You?"

"Same old, same old. Metalbending, kicking Triad butt." They're slowly making their way up the stone steps leading to the main path when Korra lets out a heart-stopping scream. Bolin rushes up the last few steps and stops, Jinora walking around to stand in front of them as Naga presses her cold, wet nose against Korra's cheek in an attempt at comforting her.

"Korra, I need you to count; how far between the pains?" Jinora asks. Korra nods, her lips moving silently before her face contorts in pain again and she sucks in a breath to keep from screaming.

"Twelve," she breathes; Jinora's eyes widen slightly.

"Bolin, put her down," he complies and Korra sits up weakly as Jinora grabs a blanket roll and a skein of water off of Naga's back before she kneels next to the older girl. "We need an earth-tent." Bolin nods and turns around, making sharp, quick, decisive movements before the earth bends to his will and they are surrounded, cut off from the rest of the island.

"Jinora, what's going on?" Korra asks.

"The baby's coming."

"Now? Right now?!"

"Yes."

"This can't be happening, not here! We're supposed to be in the South Pole tomorrow a-and my due date-!"

"Just moved up a few weeks." Her words are met with another scream and she grabs Korra's hand squeezing tightly as Bolin enters the tent through the small opening behind her.

"Mako and the others should be here soon," he assures them, taking a seat behind Korra, helping her sit up better and taking her hand from the airbender's. "Jinora, exactly how many babies have you helped deliver?" he asks quietly. Brown meets green and he can see how nervous she is behind her calm demeanor.

"None." Korra screams again and Bolin idly wonders if he'll ever be able to feel his fingers again.

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

Mako doesn't wait for Pema or the others to follow him back to the dock, he just turns around and starts running back the way he came, only slowing down at the sight of what looked like a giant tent made of earth. A scream permeates the air and he recognizes it as Korra's; he reaches the tent just as her screams quiet, and suddenly a new, smaller cry fills the air. He ducks through the opening to find a very tired-looking Korra leaning against his brother's chest, breathing heavily.

Bolin is shaking one of his hands, looking a little pale, and Jinora is smiling proudly, shushing quietly at the infant cradled in her arms, swaddled in a pale water-tribe blanket.

"Congratulations daddy," she teases as he stumbles over and lowers himself to his knees next to his wife. Pema enters the tent with two female air acolytes, one of whom takes the baby while the other looks Korra over. Mako brushes some hair from her sweaty forehead, taking his brother's place behind her as Bolin excuses himself from the now-crowded earth-tent, Jinora following him out.

"You're beautiful," he whispers to her, hands on her shoulders.

"Liar," she croaks, laughing shakily. The air acolytes leave and Pema finally, _finally_ hands Korra the baby before leaving herself, allowing the two new parents their moment alone.

"Hi," Korra whispers to the baby, "you really scared mommy and daddy, you know that? We weren't expecting you for a little while longer, so you could meet your gran-gran and pop-pop."

"What can we say? I guess she's just as impatient as her mother is," Mako chuckles, and later, once the baby is sleeping, nestled safely in a borrowed bassinet, Korra smacks him in the back of the head. But secretly, she can't help but agree with him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “One room over Kaikala sleeps peacefully, dreaming bedtime stories about brave waterbender girls and stubborn firebender boys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow-up to #78: Due Date.

"Come on Kai, time for bed," Bolin announces. The four, (almost five, as she likes to remind everyone and anyone who will listen), year-old pouts and crosses her arms, reminding the earthbender far too much of her mother.

"No!"

"Kaikala, do not argue with me. Your mommy and daddy left me in charge for tonight, and if you don't behave, I'll make Naga sit on you."

"No!" she shouts again; Bolin sighs dramatically.

"Then I guess I have no other choice," the four-year-old relaxes slightly, an almost triumphant look on her face until Bolin moves, quickly scooping her up into his arms before she has a chance to run away. "Earthbender tackle hug!" he roars over Kaikala's squeals of excitement as he charges through the house to the little girl's bedroom.

"Uncle Bo! Put down!" she giggles.

"If you insist," he shrugs, dropping her abruptly onto her bed; her room is the epitome of any little girl's, with toys littering the floor and stuffed animals crowding the bed, and it makes Bolin smile. He catches her gently around the waist as she crawls towards the end of her bed, trying to make a break for it.

"Bed," he insists again. A pout forms on her lips, but this time she complies, crawling towards her pillow.

"Stowy?" she asks hopefully, and her amber eyes, so much like Mako's, are so hopeful and expectant, that he knows he can't say no to her.

"You promise you'll go to sleep? I don't want your mommy mad at me for keeping you up past your bedtime again."

"Pwomise!" Bolin smiles.

"Alright then, story-time it is." Kaikala smiles, tucking her current favorite stuffed animal, that of a small fire ferret, underneath her arm as Bolin pulls her favorite purple blanket up to her chin. "Okay Kai, which story tonight; the story of mommy and Naga?" she shakes her head. "The story of Naga and Pabu?" another shake. "Well, what story do _you_ want to hear?"

"The stowy of mommy and daddy!"

"Again? I dunno Kai..."

" _Pwease?_ "

"Okay, okay. The story of mommy and daddy: Once, years ago, there was a very stubborn girl named Korra-"

"Mommy!"

"Right. Korra lived in the South Pole, but she wanted something more exciting. So she decided to go on an adventure and ran away to a place called Republic City. But Korra had never been to the city before and didn't know anything about it and got lost. She asked a nice lady for directions, and helped protect a shopkeeper from some mean ol' thugs, but that got Korra in trouble. Soon an old friend found her in the city and offered to let her stay on his island-"

"Gwampa Tenzin?"

"Yes, grandpa Tenzin; but Korra wanted to see more of the city, so she snuck off the island and into the city again, where she met a very stubborn firebender named Mako-"

"Daddy!"

"-and his friendly earthbender brother Bolin." Kaikala's eyes are drifting shut now as she struggles to stay awake.

"Mako and Korra were both very stubborn and didn't always get along at first. Then one day, Mako's brother got in trouble, and Korra helped save them both. After that, the two became good friends, and after they helped save the city from a very mean man, Mako and Korra realized how much they really loved each other."

"And lived happiwy ever aftew?" the four-year-old yawns.

"And they lived happily ever after," Bolin chuckles, planting a kiss on the top of his niece's head. "Night Kai." He walks out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Not exactly how I remember things happening," a voice comments, "how about you Mako?" Bolin looks up to find Korra leaning with one shoulder against the wall smirking, Mako standing behind her with his arms around her waist and his chin resting on the top of her head.

"I distinctly remember a lot more happening between 'saving Bolin's butt' and 'living happily ever after'," Mako remarks, clearly amused.

"Yea, well, a lot of the 'Adventures of Mako and Korra' aren't exactly kid-friendly. Besides, she's a little girl; little girls like romance and fairy-tales, not action and horror-stories," Bolin remarks, "and don't even say it Korra, because you weren't exactly the poster-child for normalcy." Korra immediately closes her open mouth, a familiar pout forming on her lips.

"Thanks for tonight bro," Mako says seriously.

"It's no problem guys, really," he insists sheepishly, "you guys deserve a night off every once in a while, and besides, I love spending time with Kai." His eyes drift to the clock. "I should really get going though; see you tomorrow!" he calls, heading out the front door. Korra sighs.

"If he would pull his head out of his ass, we could be telling bedtime stories about the two of them," she mutters. Mako raises his eyebrows at her.

"What do you know that I don't know woman?" he asks against her ear.

"Lots of thing I suppose," she retorts, squirming out of his arms and sauntering off towards their bedroom.

"Korra!" he calls exasperatedly, running to catch up to her; she just laughs, quieting him with a kiss. And one room over Kaikala sleep peacefully, dreaming bedtime stories about brave waterbender girls and stubborn firebender boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kaikala is a Hawai'ian name meaning Sea & Sun and I thought it very fitting, considering her parents.


	6. 56: Sick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She is a fully-realized Avatar with all the powers of the Spirit World at her disposal. But right now she is kneeling in front of the toilet and she is terrified because she knows sooner or later Mako is going to notice that something is wrong."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can be read as a prequel to Theme #90: Protect.

Korra is twenty-five years-old, almost twenty-six, and is more scared than she has ever been; the only time she can remember feeling anything close to this was when she and Mako faced Amon. And that still doesn't compare because she was weak then, with a reason to be afraid, and now she is a fully-realized Avatar with all of the powers of this world, the Spirit World, and beyond at her disposal. But right now she is kneeling in front of the toilet for the eighth morning in a row and she is _terrified_ because she knows that she has to tell Mako because sooner or later he is going to notice that _something_ is wrong.

They have been married for almost five years, were dating for three years before that, and he can read her like an open book. Most days it is a relief, knowing that there are things that she doesn't have to verbalize if she doesn't want to because he can see it all over her face. Other days, (like when she tried to surprise him on his birthday), it is a pain in her ass. She stands on shaking legs, wiping her mouth with a wet washcloth and flushing the toilet.

She has to tell him _something_ she knows, because it has been eight days; _eight days_ of making a mad dash to the bathroom as soon as Mako has left for work, and she is almost _certain_ that she is pregnant and she doesn't know what to do. It's not something that they have discussed, or even _mentioned_ to each other, _at all_ , and she's not sure how he feels about kids. He practically _raised_ Bolin for Agni's sake, and she's not really sure whether or not she is cut out for being a mom herself. She lets out a shaky breath, turning on the faucet to wash her face when her stomach suddenly starts rolling again and she's back on her knees in front of the toilet. There's a _click_ and a _jingle_ and she hears the front door open, but at the moment she could really, honestly care less.

"Korra? You still here?" Mako; she doesn't answer, just bends over the toilet and heaves. His footsteps tell her that he is right behind her and then there are warm fingers massaging her neck and holding back her hair as she rests her head on her arms over the toilet bowl until she can _breathe_ without feeling nauseous. His hand leaves her neck and she picks up her head, gratefully accepting the glass of water he offers her and drinking it down before attempting to speak.

"I thought you were working today?" she croaks quietly; he had taken a job as a firebending teacher at an academy in the heart of the city six and a half years ago and she could tell how much he enjoyed it.

"I asked Kiyo to take over my class today," he explains, gently pulling her back into his lap to lean against his chest, "you were looking kind of pale when I left this morning."

"Mhm." She relaxes into his touch, enjoying the way his fingers find all of the right places, unraveling the knots in her neck and shoulders as the subtle scent of his aftershave calms her traitorous stomach.

"Better?" he whispers; Korra just nods, content with not moving for the rest of the day if she can get away with it. But then she remembers that there is a council meeting later this afternoon and that she is expected to be there, and the thought makes her stomach churn again. "You've been looking kind of pale for the last couple of mornings actually," he remarks, "how long have you been sick?"

"A couple of days," she admits.

" 'A couple' meaning?"

"Eight."

"Korra," he sighs, and she knows that he probably wants to scold and lecture her for not telling him sooner; but she is really enjoying the moment so she sits up slightly, turning around to meet his eyes, (which is probably a mistake since he can read her like a book after all), and he remains quiet, so she returns to her previous position, basking in the silence.

"How do you feel about having kids?" she finally asks, (and it is in that moment that she is _sure_ that he knows and is just feigning ignorance for her sake), "we've never really talked about it before and-" he silences her with a gentle squeeze of her shoulders.

"To be honest I've never really given it a lot of thought," he admits, his fingers once again rubbing soothing circles on her arms. "I just know that if we ever do have kids, I'll love them just as much as our parents loved me and Bo, or I love you. How do you feel?"

"I don't know," she replies quietly, "I've never really seen myself as really being 'mother material'." For some reason this makes Mako laugh, and she can feel it rumbling in his chest. "What?"

"Korra, I've seen you with Tenzin's kids a hundred times; you'd make a great mom." She smiles, an invisible weight suddenly lifted off of her shoulders.

"Then we should probably start looking at getting a bigger place," she turns around to face him, "you know, so we have room for the nursery." His eyes light up, surprise and excitement and delight all rolled into one and she thinks maybe he _didn't_ know after all, but he's pulling her in for a kiss and a bone-crushing hug and she stops thinking.

"Seriously?" he breathes.

"You're telling me you didn't know already?" she laughs.

"I had my suspicions, yea, but I wasn't sure."

"Neither was I until this morning, but it's official. There is a mini us growing in there." Mako smiles and Korra thinks that it is the best sight in the world and she would be more than willing to put up with the morning sickness for the rest of her life is that was what it took to keep that smile on Mako's face forever.


	7. 30: Screaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mako rests a hand protectively on the top of his four-year-old daughter’s head, thoughts of how _close_ he had come to losing them both rolling around in his over-active mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This can be read separately or as a sequel to #78: Bedtime Story.

_Kai is screaming._

 

Mako breathes deeply, letting Korra's scent wash over him.

 

_Kai is screaming and there is smoke everywhere and he can't see anything except for the red-orange of fire burning in his peripheries.  
'Korra?!'_

 

Kai is sleeping soundly, safely ensconced in-between he and Korra, but he still can't get the sounds of her screams out of his head. They remain there, ringing in his ears over and over again.

 

_'Korra?! Kai?!' he is stumbling through the smoke-filled hallway, heading in the direction of Kai's terrified screaming. The heat is so oppressive and the fire is so strong that he is unable to bend it to his will._

 

They should have seen this coming, they both have so many enemies; the Triads were always out for blood of some kind, and even thirteen years later there are still Equalist sentiments floating throughout the non-bending communities.

 

 _The screams are louder now and Kaikala finally,_ finally, _comes into view. He feels relief at first, to see her safe and relatively unharmed; then his relief turns into dread, fear clawing at the pit in his stomach when he realizes that Kai is trapped, pinned down by the protective cradle of her mother's arms, who is lying unconscious in a pool of water, which is quickly dissipating under the intense heat._

_'Korra!'_

 

His fingers ghost over the raw, red, angry burns on her arm and the side of her abdomen. She sighs in her sleep, her head burrowing further into his chest as she pulls Kaikala a little more securely into the safety of her arms.

 

_'Korra!' He is kneeling at her side, coughing as he unravels his scarf from around his neck, pulling Kai into his arms and quickly but gently wrapping it around her face to protect her from the smoke and the heat. Her screams have lessened, dying to frightened, choking sobs in her father's sudden presence._

 

Mako rests a hand protectively on the top of his four-year-old daughter's head, thoughts of how _close_ he had come to losing them both rolling around in his over-active mind. A gentle hand touches the side of his face and he lifts his eyes to meet the clear blue of his wife's, still hazy with sleep.

"Hey," Korra whispers; her throat is still sore from all of the smoke.

 

_'Korra!' He yells again, clutching his frightened daughter to him with one hand as he uses his other to check for a pulse at Korra's neck, allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief when he finds one, weak and feeble, but there. But there is no time for relief anymore because the house is threatening to crumble around them and he knows that he can't carry them both out._

 

"Hey," he whispers back, placing a feather-light kiss to her forehead, "you should be sleeping."

"So should you," she replies groggily, attempting to adjust her position so that Kaikala's leg isn't leaning against the stark white bandages covering her thigh and hip. She winces and he does it for her, gently transferring the little girl so that she is leaning against him instead.

 

_Korra groans and her eyes flutter open._

_'M-Mako?' he nods and she tries to sit up by rolling onto her side; she screams in pain and that's when he notices the fresh bright red burns covering her right side, knows that they are close-contact burns, and_ knows _that this was_ no _accident. His eyes harden with determination._

_'We need to find a way out.' He can hear the police sirens but knows that there is no way that they will be able to get here in time and he sees the way that Korra is gritting her teeth in pain as she manages to sit up, coughs wracking her body._

 

His eyes are stuck, glued to the angry red marks now marring her perfect skin.

"Katara arrives this morning," she reminds him, trying to provide him with some kind of comfort, "with her here, the healers should have no problems finishing."

 

_'There's no moisture in the air, no water to bend,' he hears Korra mutter, 'cover Kai!' Mako does, shielding her tiny frame with his, her sobs muffled as she clings to the front of his shirt._

_Then the smoke is gone and he can finally breathe again, and he looks up to find that Korra's eyes are glowing eerily as she simultaneously bends the air into a protective sphere around them to rid them of the smoke while slowly,_ oh so slowly, _bending the flames to her will,_ forcing _their burn to become less intense. He doesn't know how long it lasts, but suddenly there are waterbenders dousing the flames from outside and metalbenders are breaking down the front door to check for people inside and he barely has enough time to catch Korra awkwardly in one arm as she collapses into unconsciousness once more, exhausted._

 

Korra's wrist flicks and the candles on the bedside table spring to life. And just as quickly as she has lit them, he has snuffed them out.

"The sun will be up in a few hours," he states. She gives him a questioning look and then the realization dawns on her and he can see in her eyes that she understands; he doesn't want, doesn't _need_ a reminder right now of how close they almost came to losing absolutely everything.

"Okay," she agrees, running soothing fingers through his hair, resting her free hand on top of his on Kaikala's back.

The screams are still there, still echoing in his head, and Mako vows to make sure that he never has to hear Korra scream like that, that _neither of them_ has to hear their baby girl scream like that ever again.


	8. 92: Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She has an overwhelming urge to punch something; so she does. She punches one of the wooden beams, hissing when she feels the skin on her knuckles crack and split. Tears well up in her eyes but she ignores them."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a direct follow-up to previous theme #30: Screaming

It's been exactly one week, one week and there is almost no trace of the burns left on her skin; so then why can't she get the acrid smell of her own burning flesh out of her nose? Why can't she get Mako and Kai's terrified faces out of her mind? Why can't she get the taste of smoke mingled with Kai's salty tears out of her mouth? _Why does the faceless stranger still haunt her dreams?_

She is sitting in one of the meditation pavilions on Air Temple Island trying to clear her mind in an attempt to meditate, but it isn't helping. She clenches her teeth, standing to leave, and has a sudden overwhelming urge to punch something; so she does. She turns and punches one of the wooden beams, hissing when she feels the skin on her knuckles crack and split. Tears well up in her eyes but she ignores them, walking in the direction of the quarters that Tenzin has temporarily provided for them. They had stayed in Bolin's guest room the first night, right after the fire, but had been staying on the island ever since Katara had arrived to assist the healers.

Almost all of the burns are gone; the ones on her stomach had healed the fastest thank the Spirits, but there were still a few lingering on her shoulder and thigh, hence the reason for her current attire: a sleeveless tunic similar to the one she used to favor in her teenage years, and a lightweight skirt that she had borrowed from Pema.

It's been a week and Mako is still walking on eggshells around her. It's been nothing but light touches and chaste, gentle kisses. The only moments they have had alone all week are at the end of the day, when he is tired from work and she is exhausted from sitting through multiple healing sessions, and that is certainly not a time to have a proper conversation.

But what worries her most is not the faceless stranger lingering in the shadows of her mind; it is not the burns that provide an ever-constant reminder of her, ( _almost_ ), failure; and it is not the building tension between her and her husband. What worries her most of all is that it has been an entire week and Kaikala  who is usually so full of energy that she almost bounces off of the ceiling  has not spoken a single word to anyone. Katara has assured her that it is simply shock, but it doesn't keep her from worrying that her child, her baby girl, has been emotionally scarred for life by a nameless, faceless, insignificant man with some sort of a meaningless grudge against _her_ , the Avatar.

She steps into the small quarters that make up their temporary home; Mako is eating dinner with Bolin tonight so she should have plenty of time to make dinner and hopefully have Kai in bed and fast asleep by the time he gets home so that they can finally sit down and talk.

"Kai?" a door slides open to her left and she looks down the hall to find her four-year-old, ( _almost five_ , she reminds herself), standing in the hallway, holding Jinora's hand. "You staying for dinner?"

"I was actually thinking I could maybe keep Kai tonight," the younger woman suggested, "it's been a while since we've spent some girl time together, and grandmother agrees with me that it would be a good idea." The ' _for you and Mako_ ' hangs in the air, unspoken. Korra smiles and walks over, hugging Jinora as tightly as she dares without affecting her burns.

"Thank you Jinora," she whispers, releasing her to lean down and kiss Kai on the cheek before standing up. "And don't worry; he'll come around sooner or later."

"Hopefully sooner," Jinora remarks bitterly before she picks Kai up and walks out, leaving Korra alone with her thoughts.

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

Korra is still awake when Mako gets home, sitting at the small kitchen table soaking the bruised knuckles of her right hand in a bowl of water, some first aid supplies spread out in front of her. He walks up behind her and places his hands on her shoulders, brushing a kiss on the top of her head. Her left hand grabs his before he can walk away and he holds still.

"We need to talk," her voice is quiet and he sighs, taking a seat on her right and gently lifting her injured hand out of the water, patting it dry before beginning to wrap it.

"We need to get out of the city." He freezes at her words, head snapping up so that he can see her face. "I don't mean _leave_ Mako, jeeze," she assures him, rolling her eyes. "I spoke to Tenzin and he offered us permanent living quarters here on the Island, separate from the main temple." They sit in silence for a moment as Mako finishes wrapping her knuckles, considering her words.

"Do you think that it's a good idea?" he asks.

"Not just that; I think that it's necessary." Her left hand touches his face and he meets her eyes as she grabs one of his hands with her injured one. "This can't happen again. I won't put Kai in danger; or whoever comes after." Her hand gently pulls his to rest on her still-flat stomach and his eyes go wide as he suddenly _understands_. He pulls her into his arms, careful of the remaining burns on her shoulder as he kisses her fiercely.

"Okay," he agrees when they finally come up for air. "We'll move to the Island." And in light of her startling confession, he knows absolutely that they have made the right decision.


	9. 18: Different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Amon's hand drops and Korra is collapsing at his feet as Mako shouts her name, knowing that he is probably next and not caring at all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sightly AU Endgame. Based on this scenario that popped in my mind: "What if Korra never escaped Amon in Episode 9: 'Out of The Past'? What if Mako and the others never found her?  
> There are only hints of Makorra in this, and it is a completely stand-alone piece   
> You can go ahead and hate me now.

"We might as well just give up now." Everybody looks up at Mako, the shock evident on their faces. They have been hiding in this underground tunnel system for weeks now and it was taxing on all of them. "Face it guys, we've lost. Amon has the city and Korra is still missing. Without her, we're not fighting a war. We're not even fighting a revolution; we're just a small group of rebels waiting to be wiped out." Asami slaps him, the sound reverberating off of the concrete.

"You are not allowed to give up," she hisses. She is angry and hurt and Mako can't blame her; he is at least partially responsible after all. Footsteps splash in one of the tunnels to their left and they all tense for a fight, Bolin moving in front of Pema, who is holding the new baby, Ikki and Meelo fast asleep against her sides. They all relax marginally at the sight of Lin and Tenzin.

"We have to move, get farther in," Lin announces, "there are equalists, sweeping this set of tunnels." There is a flurry of movement; Mako grabs both his and Bolin's lightweight travel packs as the children are woken up, Ikki clambering onto Bolin's back as Tenzin lifts Meelo into his arms. And then they are gone, moving swiftly as Lin quickly closes off the tunnel behind them.

"Did you find Jinora daddy?" Ikki asks, lifting her head off of Bolin's shoulder.

"Not yet Ikki, but we will find her soon, I promise." Jinora had vanished during the attack on the Island; one moment she had been shouting and fighting, protecting Meelo from the equalists, and the next moment they had turned and she was gone.

 _'We're fighting a war that we've already lost,'_ Mako thinks bitterly, _'and innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire.'_

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

"Councilman Tenzin," the older man turns his head slightly to acknowledge him. "We have to get Pema and the kids out of the city; is there any other way to leave besides the docks or shipyard?"

"If we had a way to get onto the Island and get to the bison, but that seems highly unlikely." Mako looks around; he's not sure how far they have gone, but they are all exhausted and he can tell that Ikki and Meelo are terrified.

"I have a plan," Mako announces suddenly. "Chief Beifong, how far away is the nearest equalist patrol, and how many are there?" The metalbender puts her hand to the tunnel wall.

"There's a team of two about five miles down that tunnel." She informs him, pointing down a tunnel to his left.

"Perfect; Bo, you feel like helping me knock some equalist heads?" his brother smiles.

"I'd be happy to."

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

Almost an hour later, the bending brothers are standing in front of the group in their 'borrowed' equalist uniforms.

"Did you get the information?"

"They sang like pigeon-doves," Lin states. "There's a small boat that travels to the island with equalists and captured benders every hour; next one leaves in twenty minutes."

"Great; there's a sewage tunnel that drains right into Yue Bay on the south side of the city near the old abandoned shipyard. We'll meet you there." He turns to Ikki, who has a fearless look on her seven-year-old face. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" she nods.

"You'll never find your way around the Island, plus the bison don't normally like strangers," she insists, "and maybe we'll find Jinora!"

"Y-yeah," Mako stutters, "maybe." Bolin turns to Tenzin as Ikki hugs her mother.

"We'll keep her safe sir," he promises; Tenzin nods and turns to his youngest daughter.

"Ikki, be very careful and do everything that Mako and Bolin tell you to do, alright?" she nods, giving her father a quick hug before turning around and following Mako and Bolin down the tunnel the equalists had come from. They walk in silence for a while, which is strange for Ikki, until they see light filtering in from the open manhole that the captured equalists had used to enter the sewers. Bolin turns to Ikki, who is still putting on a brave face.

"Okay Ikki, here we go; you ready?"

"I'm ready!" she holds out her arms and he gently ties her wrists together with a length of rope. "Tighten it," she orders, surprising him. "If they're too loose, then they'll know something's fishy." Bolin hesitates before doing as she asks. He and Mako slip the equalist masks over their heads and Bolin hauls Ikki over one shoulder like a sack of potatoes, holding onto her back securely so that her head rests on his chest as she goes boneless in his grasp, feigning unconsciousness.

They slowly climb their way topside and soon spot another pair of equalists, carrying what appear to be two earthbenders. Mako and Bolin follow them to the docks and they don't go unnoticed, one of the equalists turning to them.

"What'd you find?"

"One of the airbender brats, hiding underground like a sewer-rat-monkey," Mako replies; after that they are left alone, managing to reach the Island uninterrupted. Upon their arrival they are instructed to take Ikki to the top floor of the tower; instead they wait for the rest of the equalists to split off before Bolin pokes Ikki in her side and she lifts her head, one eye open.

"Go forward, past the stone archway and to the left." The two follow her instructions, moving quickly in their efforts to remain undetected. Footsteps approach from in front of them and they duck behind one of the nearby empty stables as two equalists pass without their masks.

_"Why does he insist on keeping that damn animal around? Bad enough we have to take care of the bison, but that thing is a menace!"_

_"Cool your jets, I'm sure he'll get rid of it soon enough."_

_"Cool my jets? The damn thing bit me! Should be put down"_

"Find the third stable on your left," Ikki whispers. They count as they walk and finally slip inside of the proper stable; Ikki hops down off of Bolin's shoulder and stretches. Then suddenly there is hot breath on Bolin's back and a familiar tongue on his head.

"Ew! Naga!" Bolin complains; he freezes, catching Mako's eyes. "Naga?! Where's Korra?" The polar-bear-dog whines, putting her head down and pawing at her nose.

"You don't think that she's here on the island, do you?" Mako asks quietly as Ikki flits through the bison.

"They wouldn't be stupid enough. She knows the ins and outs of this place almost as good as Meelo," Bolin murmurs, "but if Naga's here, then Korra has to still be in the city."

"But with who, Amon or Tarrlok?"

"I found Oogi, and his saddle is hanging on the wall," Ikki announces from directly behind them. "And if you're going to look for Korra or my sister, then I'm coming with you!"

"No you're not. You're staying here with Bolin and if I'm not back in twenty minutes, you two are leaving," Mako counters. "Now tell me the quickest way to get to that tower attic."

                                                                                       -*-

 

Five minutes later, Mako is climbing through the trap door into the small attic room. After a moment, his eyes adjust to the relative darkness and he notice someone trapped behind the metal bars of a door.

"Korra?"

"Afraid not," a distinctly male voice responds.

"Tarrlok!" he snarls. "Where is Korra?"

"Where do you think young firebender?" Mako's face pales slightly. "Amon is going to make an example out of her and the little airbender, and there is nothing either of us can do to stop him."

"I figured you would just turn tail and run," Mako snarks, "why bother trying to help?"

"Because Amon is my brother." Mako's heart skips a beat.

"Explain." And he does; Tarrlok explains everything, not missing a single detail.

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

When they finally get Oogi off of the Island, Mako and Bolin spend the entirety of the short trip to the abandoned shipyard formulating a plan. When they finally land, and Ikki jumps into her father's arms, Mako reveals what he learned.

"Amon's a bloodbender by the name of Noatak," he explains as Pema and the children prepare to leave. "He's Yakone's son, and Tarrlok's older brother."

"What else?" Asami asks.

"We think that we know where Korra and Jinora are," Bolin tells them, "there's some kind of rally at the Pro-bending Arena. We think that's where he plans on taking Korra's bending.

"For all of Republic City to see," Lin remarks bitterly.

"But not if we stop him first," the fire is back in Mako's eyes and he is determined not to lose anyone else. "Asami, how do you feel about a reunion with your father?"

"I'd say it's long since overdue."

 

                                                                                       -*-

 

After Lin has left with Pema, Ikki, Meelo and the baby, promising their safety, Mako and Bolin don their equalist disguises again, 'escorting' Asami into the main entrance of the arena.

"Let me go!" she demands, every bit the spoiled heiress, "I'm here to see my father!"

"Your father isn't here Ms. Sato," a familiar voice states; the three turn around to find the Lieutenant blocking the exit.

"Well then where is he?"

"He won't be joining us tonight, he has other important matters to attend to," he holds out an arm in invitation for her to walk with him. "You, however, are more than welcome to join us if that is your intention. I am sure that Hiroshi would be happy to know that his daughter has finally has a change of heart."

"Yes," she agrees, taking his lead and following him towards the main staging arena. "I am sure that he would." The arena is packed, people crowding the floor and the stands above it, and the Lieutenant leads Asami to a spot near the front of the stage before disappearing.

"Where did he go?" Bolin whispers. Mako points to the stage, where the lights have come on and Amon is now standing, at least a dozen masked equalists behind him and the Lieutenant standing directly to his right.

"Thank you all for joining me on this historic occasion!" the entire arena begins cheering and Amon continues to speak. "The era of Equality has only just begun! With the help of my chi-blockers, we have taken over the city!" A trap door opens in the stage and a platform begins to rise. "With the help of my supporters, I shall begin to equalize the world; and I shall start with the benders' precious, all-powerful Avatar." There are two wooden posts on the platform; Jinora is tied to one, hands chained behind her back and looking relatively unharmed except for the way the gag on her mouth is pressing roughly against her face.

Korra is tied to the other, head down, chains around her wrists, waist, and ankles, bruises and cuts littering her arms and neck, a particularly nasty-looking gash on her side; her hair is a tangled mess and he can tell that she is gagged, and there is what appears to be a burn on her neck from where she probably tried breathing fire in an attempt to escape. "One tragic event brought me to this point; how many people have had their homes, their families, and their lives destroyed by benders?" more cheers. "That ends today!" Amon turns to the posts and Korra starts shaking; at first Mako thinks that she is crying; then the gag is removed and her laughter rings out through the now-quiet arena as she throws her head back, almost hitting it on the wooden post.

"You're full of shit Amon!" she snaps once her laughter has calmed down. "You know it, and now I know it and I don't know why I didn't see it sooner." Amon takes a step closer to her and Mako takes a step towards the stage, Asami's hand on his arm holding him back.

"See what, Avatar?"

"You're a bender." Gasps ring out across the arena. "These stupid visions or hallucinations or memories or whatever you want to call them that Avatar Aang was trying to show me weren't just about him trying to warn me about Tarrlok being a bloodbender, he was trying to warn me about _you_."

"Making up stories as a last resort? Are you truly that desperate?"

"Except it's not a story is it Amon?" Asami asks from the crowd, walking up to the edge of the stage.

"Or should we call you Noatak now?" Mako interjects, he and Bolin removing their masks; Korra's eyes widen in surprise and then all hell breaks loose. The equalists on stage begin running towards them and Mako lets fly a bolt of lightning. It hits the stage, making them scatter and causing a cloud of smoke and dust to fill the room.

Equalist supporters start running everywhere, trying to escape the crossfire as Mako, Asami, and Bolin jump up onto the stage. Bolin immediately brings up his hands, causing the platform to become uneven and tripping several masked equalists.  Mako runs to Korra's side, intent on releasing her from her chains.

"Just get my hands," she orders once he is within earshot, "I can get the others; you go help Jinora."

"Are you okay?" he asks, forming a white-hot flame at the tip of his finger.

"I'll be fine," she assures him. The chains fall away and he turns to Jinora when Korra catches a hold of his sleeve. "Thanks for coming."

"You really think that we'd leave you behind?" She smirks, going to work on the rest of her bonds as Mako runs over to Jinora, removing her gag.

"You okay kid?"

"I can still bend if that's what you are referring to," she replies. "My family?"

"Your mom and younger siblings are on their way to safety with Chief Beifong; your dad stayed behind for you." Out of the corner of his eye he sees Korra jump into the fight, knocking an equalist away from Asami's back with a chunk of rock she pulled from the wall behind her.

"Bolin!" his brother looks up, narrowly dodging a chi-blocker before knocking them off of the stage. "Get Jinora out of here!" Bolin immediately runs over, hefting Jinora over his shoulder without stopping.

"I can walk!" the ten-year-old protests.

"I know that, it'll just be a lot faster if I carry you!" Bolin dodges two chi-blockers before he disappears from Mako's line of sight; the firebender puts up a wall of fire to prevent anyone from following his brother. That's when he hears Asami scream, sees her being electrocuted by the Lieutenant, hears Korra shout as she charges Amon, and then time seems to move in slow motion;  Amon dodges all of her attacks until a blast of fire singes his mask and then Korra is frozen, a satisfied smirk on her face as she struggles to move.

"See," she grits out, "nothing but a deceitful bloodbender." Amon has one hand on her neck now, the other poised in preparation; Mako takes a step towards them and suddenly he can't move wither as Korra squeezes her eyes shut, knowing what comes next. Neither of them realizes it, but they both have a million 'what ifs?' running through their heads.

_'What if we had found her sooner?'_

_'What if I tried meditating sooner?'_

_'What if I had listened to her more?'_

_'What if I had concentrated more on learning airbending?'_

_'What if?'_

_'What if?_

_'What if?'_

_'What if I had told him sooner?'_

_'What if I had told her at all?'_

Then Amon's hand drops and Korra is collapsing at his feet as Mako shouts her name, knowing that he is probably next and not caring at all as the masked man approaches.

_'What if things had been different?'_


	10. 97: Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kaikala hesitates a moment, and then holds out her hand again for Korra to transfer the small flame to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should be read as a follow-up to theme 92: Confession, which is itself a follow-up to theme 30: Screaming. Should be read in that order.

"Kai, everyone is waiting, are you ready?" Korra asks, poking her head into her daughter's bedroom. Kaikala is sitting on her bed, Pabu curled up in her lap.

"Kai? What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" It is her daughter's fifth birthday, and they have plans to leave for the South Pole in a few days because Korra wants no surprises this pregnancy; but Kaikala has not said a word in almost three weeks, not since the fire; which is why Korra is so surprised when she opens her mouth and speaks, her words coming out in choking sobs.

"I-I d-don't wanna h-hurt anybody!" Korra is sitting on the bed and pulling Kaikala into her arms in an instant, Pabu scurrying out of the way to avoid getting crushed.

"Korra? Kai? Are you two coming?" Mako asks, appearing in the doorway. He stops short at the sight of Kaikala crying in Korra's lap, giving his wife a questioning look; Korra shrugs, continuing to stroke Kaikala's hair.

"Kai?" she asks softly, "you said you don't want to hurt anybody; what makes you think that you are going to?" Kaikala sniffs and sits up, rubbing an arm across her face before holding out a hand, palm up; after a moment a tiny flame appears in her palm, but just as soon as it appears, it disappears.

"F-fire hurt you mommy," the little girl hiccoughs. "I-I d-don't wanna be a f-firebender if it m-means h-hurting people." Mako's eyes widen in surprise as he realizes that he once said those same words when he was six-years-old, after his first time firebending on accident hurt his little brother.

"You know what Kai?" he whispers, stepping into the room and kneeling in front of her so that he can meet her eyes. He holds out a hand, forming a small flame in his own palm. "Daddy's a firebender too." She looks like she wants to flinch; like she wants to run and hide where no-one will ever find her and it kills him just a little bit inside. "And I used to feel exactly the same way." Kai meets his eyes now.

"Y-you did?" he nods.

"And then a very smart man told me that while fire itself is at times destructives, it is our job as firebenders to use it responsibly." Korra holds out her hand and Mako carefully hands her the flame.

"Fire is a part of you Kai," she whispers, "just like it is a part of me and a part of daddy. And you know what? You've already learned the most important thing about firebending."

"What's that?" Kaikala asks, her tears finally gone.

"That you should always be as careful as possible, so you don't accidentally hurt someone." Kaikala hesitates a moment, and then holds out her hand again. And as Korra transfers the small flame to her tiny hand, Mako thinks that maybe they have a chance to undo the damage and pain caused by one man's reckless actions; because Kai is no longer afraid of herself, or of the constant fire that burns within her.


	11. 82: First Aid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mako presses a little more firmly, coaxing some more heat into his fingers, and Korra lets out one of the longest, most arousing moans that he has ever heard. ' _Spirits_ Mako!'"

Korra is standing in the small bathroom in Mako and Bolin's apartment, wearing nothing but her sarashi as she cranes her neck, trying to get a better look at the sickly yellow-green bruise spread across the small of her back. She isn't sure how she got it, knows that it is probably from the equalist riot that they helped the metalbenders break up earlier this week, but she doesn't care; all she cares about is that it _hurts_ , making it difficult to move or to sleep and she is fairly certain that it bruised a kidney.

"Ow! Come _on_ dammit!" she can't reach it herself to heal it and she knows that Mako or Bolin or _somebody_ is going to notice how carefully she is moving sooner or later. The war was over, but the equalist revolution was far from dead; the seed had been planted, the idea stated out loud and spread amongst the discontent and, as Tenzin had once told her, you cannot kill an idea no matter how hard you may try.

"Korra?" She yelps, surprise making her fingers slip and nudge against her bruised skin.

 _'Yep, definitely the kidney.'_ She thinks wryly as Mako's footsteps draw closer.

"You know you left your parka here again," he informs her; he is standing in the doorway now and is staring right at her because, as usual, she has forgotten to close the door.

"What is that?"

"A bruise," she retorts, the _'duh'_ hanging in the air unsaid.

"Obviously; how did you get it?"

"How d'you think?"

"Korra," he sighs, exasperated, and considers lecturing her, but thinks better of it when he sees her wince slightly as she bends over to pick her tunic up off of the bathroom floor. "Why haven't you healed it?"

"I can't reach it," she admits grudgingly.

"And you haven't gone to a healer because?"

"The healers here in the city barely know what they're doing half of the time." He catches her wrist as she is struggling to pull her tunic on over her head and slowly lifts it back up to reveal her face.

"Let me take a look?" She frowns but acquiesces, taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub, back to him. Mako's warm fingers ghost gently over her skin and she hisses, wincing slightly; then the pain turns into a warm comfort and she is fighting a moan at the sensation.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she manages to ask, turning her head slightly to look at him.

"Bo and I didn't always have a healer to patch us up you know," he reminds her with a smirk. Mako presses a little more firmly against the bruise, coaxing some more heat into his fingers, easing some of the tension in her back, and Korra lets out one of the longest, most arousing moans that he has ever heard.

" _Spirits_ Mako! Forget the healers; I'd rather come to you for first aid _any day_."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "For now she is trapped in this small metal box, but she would escape – _to amber eyes and a warm touch and strong arms and a red scarf_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semi-angst warning. This one-shot takes place during the episode 'Out of the Past'

Korra does not know how much time has passed at the hands of Tarrlok; the only source of light available to her is the too-bright lamp hanging above her metal prison. She has meditated for what feels like hours, days even, finally managing to connect with Aang for the first time, finally able to hear what he had been trying to tell her, see what he was trying to show her, finally able to learn the truth about Tarrlok; and all that she could think was that she should have been able to do it sooner, prevent all this from happening.

Sometimes she wonders if it is all some kind of a cosmic joke, if everything was a mistake; if the Spirits had chosen the wrong person as the Avatar's reincarnation. She had made a mistake in confronting Tarrlok on her own; she had made a mistake in not watching her friends' backs, letting them get arrested; she had made a mistake in her initial judgments of Asami, who turned out to be a good friend and strong ally, and of her father, who had been revealed as an enemy of the worst kind; she had made a mistake in helping convince the council to keep the arena open; she had made a mistake in kissing Mako, in leading Bolin on and breaking his heart; she had made a mistake in challenging Amon in thinking that he, a monster hiding behind a mask, would allow her a fair fight on her own terms; she had made a mistake in allowing Tarrlok to manipulate her onto his task force.

Sometimes she wonders if simply coming to Republic City in the first place wasn't her biggest mistake of all. She hasn't made any significant progress in her airbending or spiritual awareness and she hasn't managed to put even a dent in the burgeoning Equalist Revolution.

She is dimly aware that she is crying now, her tears blazing trails down her cheeks as she hugs her knees to her chest, biting the heel of her palm to muffle her sobs, forgetting for the moment that there is nobody around to hear her. She idly wonders if anybody has even realized that she is missing yet, wonders if anybody even cares, and it makes her sob harder.

_'Look at you, so big and strong; you've grown into quite the young Avatar.'_

_'You're the Avatar and I'm an idiot.'_

_'You're a natural at this!'_

_'You_ really _came alive in that last round.'_

_'You moved just like an airbender!'_

Her sobs lessen and she relaxes slightly, leaning her head back against the cool metal.

_'Your best friend is a polar bear dogsomehow that makes perfect sense.'_

_'You saved me from Amon!'_

_'Mako's told me so much about you.'_

_'You're the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, talentedest, incrediblest girl in the world!'_

_'_ You _are one of a kind Korra!'_

_'That's nonsense! You're amazing!'_

_'The arena might be shut down, but we're still a team.'_

_'You_ are _his legacy.'_

_'I think you're going to be a great Avatar.'_

_'As much as you drive me crazy, I also think you're pretty amazing.'_

She wipes her eyes, thoughts of soft amber eyes and warm lips ghosting over hers flitting briefly through her mind. Korra sits up straight, her tears gone.

She has messed up and has made so many mistakes, and for now she is trapped in this small metal box, but she could do what Tenzin asked; she could learn patience and she would wait for her opening. Then when it came, she would escape  

_to amber eyes and a warm touch and strong arms and a red scarf_

 and she would fix her mistakes, no matter what it cost her.


	13. 16: Pushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He is standing neck-deep in the water. Korra holds out a hand and he looks up at her. 'We need to talk.'"

"-not a child anymore!" Korra freezes when she recognizes the voice speaking, quickly ducking behind a nearby bush.

"I know you're not a child Jinora, but that's part of the problem isn't it?" a familiar male voice replies, "I've watched you grow up, and you deserve to be happy."

"Then why won't you let me? This isn't just some stupid crush that I'm going to grow out of," Jinora hisses, and Korra can hear the waver in her voice that means that she is holding back tears. "You keep saying that you know I'm not a child, yet you insist on treating me like one; I'm twenty-six years-old for Spirits sake!"

"Jinora wait!"

"Don't touch me!" Korra feels the change in the wind that comes with airbending, can hear the following rush of wind and splash of water. She waits until she hears Jinora leave on her glider and then walks down to the dock where she finds Bolin standing neck-deep in the water. Korra holds out a hand and he looks up at her.

"We need to talk."

"H-how much did you hear?" Bolin sighs, accepting her outstretched hand and using it to help pull himself out of the water.

"Enough," she answers, bending the water out of Bolin's clothes. "So what do you say that we go talk in the City? I need to pick up a few things before we leave tomorrow morning and Mako is of the opinion that I need a babysitter to go anywhere outside of the Island."

 

                                                                                        -*-

 

Twenty minutes later Bolin and Korra are walking through a small market heading towards Narook's, Korra now carrying several small bags.

"So how long has that argument been going on for?"

"On and off since she got back from her visit to all of the air temples," the earthbender admits.

"Bolin!"

"What?!"

"That was almost four years ago!"

"I know that! Don't you think that I know that Korra?"

"Wait, was that why she decided to go in the first place? I mean, Tenzin had been suggesting that she go ever since she got her tattoos and she was dead set against it; then she suddenly changed her mind after Kai was born."

"Maybe, I don't know," Bolin sighs, blowing at the lock of hair hanging over his forehead, "I mean, she kissed me right after Kai was born, but II pushed her away."

"Well, then I just have one question for you," Bolin looks at her, holding back the curtain to the noodle shop. "Do you love her?"

"I" he hesitates.

"It's a simple 'yes' or 'no' question: do. you . love. her?"

"Yes, but"

"No buts! You know how you feel, and I'm fairly certain that you know how she feels, what else is there to know?"

"Somehow, I really don't think that it's that simple."

"Not usually, but in this case I think it really is." They sit in silence for a moment as Narook places their usual orders on the table in front of them.

"Korra"

"Just do me one favor," she interrupts, pulling apart her chopsticks, "resolve this 'argument' of yours before my baby is born or I swear to the Spirits I will go Avatar State on your ass. I don't care what anybody else thinks Bo, _you_ deserve to be happy; you both do."

 

                                                                                        -*-

 

A month later Korra is curled up in front of the fireplace in her parents' igloo; Mako is standing a few feet away helping Kaikala through a basic firebending form; her father is at a meeting with some other tribesmen and her mother had gone into town to help a younger woman who had gone into labor. Korra was going through the mail from the City and is reading a letter from Tenzin when she suddenly bursts out laughing, causing both Mako and Kaikala to look over at her.

"Everything okay?" Mako asks cautiously, sliding out of his stance and walking over to her; Korra had been especially hormonal this time around, her emotions fluctuating all over the place.

"Peachy," she laughs. "Apparently Bolin and Jinora eloped and Tenzin blames me."

"Seriously?" Korra hands him the letter.

"All he got was a note."

"And he blames you why?"

"Imay have had words with Bolin before we left."

"You are one pushy Avatar, you know that?" he mutters, leaning in to kiss her.

"But you wouldn't have me any other way," she chuckles against his lips.


	14. 64: Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ' "Who in the world has the power or the authority to put you, the almighty Avatar, on house arrest?"  
> "Apparently, _my husband_." '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but kinda funny and sweet-ish. 9th in the Makorra family-verse.

Bolin is surprised to find Korra standing outside with a basket of wet clothes, hanging them piece-by-piece on a rope stretched between two trees and using a combination of air, water, and firebending to dry them.

"Uh, Korra?"

"What?" she snaps, letting out a particularly forceful blast of air.

"What are you doing?"

"Laundry."

"Butyou don't do laundry."

"I do when I'm on house arrest," she responds harshly, biting out the last two words.

"House arrest? Who in the world has the power or the authority to put you, the almighty Avatar, on house arrest?"

"Apparently, my _husband_ ," she informs him with as much venom in her voice as she can muster.

"Mako? Why would Mako put you on house arrest?"

"The idiot thinks that I'm pregnant again."

"Are you?" the metalbender asks excitedly.

"No! Of course not!" Korra assures him hurriedly. "It was just a stomach bug. And even if I were pregnant, I swear to the Spirits it would be Mako pushing the kid out. I told him before the twins were born that I am _not_ having any more kids!"

Bolin sighs; having a big family was more trouble than it was worth some days.


	15. 27: Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She has a murderous look in her eyes and it makes him all the more determined as he brings his hands up to cup her face, lips crashing hungrily against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> StephDaughterofPoseidon's request was:
> 
> 'The Korra Krew comes back to Republic city (it should pick up right after ep. 12) and Makorra is canon (obviously).  
> Korra comes back to Republic city to restore people's bending, and she restores Tahno's, who kisses her out of no where. And a jealous Mako sees the whole thing! And after, Korra calms him down.'
> 
> This isn't exactly what she requested, because Korra doesn't so much as 'calm him down' as she does 'let him have his (wicked) way with her.
> 
> O//O
> 
> ...oops?

"You really want to do this now? On your first day back in the City?" Mako asks.

"People need to know that I can fix this whole mess Amon created and I need to start somewhere," Korra insists, grabbing his hand and leading him down a street of rather decent-looking apartments.

"Yea, ok, but with Tahno?"

"He _was_ one of the first people to have his bending removed by Amon."

"What about the Triads?"

"They're going to be dealt with separately down at police headquarters," she consults a piece of paper in her hand and points at a building to their left, "that one." He follows her up the stone steps and waits with her a few minutes after she knocks on the front door.

"Maybe he isn't here?" Mako suggests, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back against his chest. She looks up at him.

"Where would he possibly go?"

"Maybe he got a job."

"Yea, sure," Korra snorts, reaching out and knocking a second time; this time it's followed by a string of curses and footsteps approaching. The door is flung open and Korra takes a step forward, out of Mako's grasp. Tahno looks about ready to kill until he realizes who, exactly, is standing on his doorstep.

"Oh. It's _you_." Korra just rolls her eyes.

"Nice to see you too Tahno; going to invite us in?"

"That depends on why you're here," he drawls.

"Well it looks like somebody got their attitude back," Koora snarks, "but fine, I suppose if you don't want my help getting your bending back as well _pretty boy_ , we can just leave." She starts to turn around when Tahno's hand lands on her shoulder, and Mako glares at it.

"I'm listening," Tahno states, opening the door a little wider to give them room to walk past him.

"You look good Tahno, better than the last time I saw you anyway," she notes; the circles under his eyes have disappeared, he was wearing clean clothes, and there was even the slightest hint of color on his usually pale cheeks.

"Semantics; now what did you say about my bending?"

"You mean the fact that it's gone? Or the fact that I can bring it back?" she asks with a smirk.

"You better not be messing with me."

"Wanna find out?"

"Maybe he's just too scared." Mako states; his words have the desired effect.

"Go ahead and try."

"You might wanna kneel," Korra suggests, earning a glare from the soon-to-be waterbender. "Just saying; it can be a little overwhelming."

"I think I can handle it."

"Whatever you say, pretty boy." Without further ado Korra steps forward, placing her right hand at the chakra point in Tahno's forehead and her left at the chakra point in his chest. She takes a deep breath as she lets the Avatar state with all of its power and wisdom wash over her, searching his chakras to find the damaged connection to his element. After what feels like hours but is probably only seconds, she drops her hands and steps away, releasing the newly-repaired bond.

"You gonna try it or are you just gonna stand there?" Tahno stares at his hands for a moment before throwing out, freezing the water in a near-by vase before liquefying it again.

"I…can bend."

"Great; now all you have to do is go tell the newspape-mmph!" She is cut off by the feeling of cool, soft lips against her own and Korra stands in shock for a moment before Tahno pulls away. She reels back, almost bumping into Mako. "What the hell was that?"

"Figured I owed you a proper thank-you," Tahno leers.

"Why you…" Mako growls, and Korra barely has time to turn and catch his arm to prevent Tahno from receiving a fistful of flames to his face.

"Let's just go," she insists, pushing him towards the door, swiping one hand angrily across her lips. "We did what we came here to do; no need to stick around"

"See you around, _uh-vatar_ Korra." She slams the door behind her, storming past Mako and down the stone steps in an attempt to keep herself from going back and murdering Tahno. She is halfway down the street when Mako catches up to her, grabbing her wrist to slow her down and spin her around to face him. She has a murderous look in her eyes and it makes him all the more determined as he brings his hands up to cup her face, lips crashing hungrily against hers. Korra melts into the kiss, grabbing his scarf and pulling him into a near-by secluded alley-way.

He has her back pressed against the wall without a moment's hesitation, one arm around her waist and the other grasping at her hip. Korra wraps one leg around his, pulling him even closer as he nips at her bottom lip, encouraging her to open her mouth to him, and she complies. Their breath mingles as tongues and teeth clash, fighting for control.

Mako's hands grip her waist and lift, sliding her up the wall so Korra can wrap both legs around his waist. He presses himself more firmly against her and Korra moans into his mouth as his hips buck against hers. One of her hands is fisted tightly in his hair, the other curled around the back of his neck as she pulls away from the kiss, both of them panting for breath.

Korra sucks in a breath as Mako's hands slip underneath her tunic, ghosting over her skin dangerously close to the waistband of her pants. One of his hands finds its way underneath the fabric and presses against her heat, cupping her through the soft cotton underthings she had taken to wearing in place of her sarashi after a particularly eventful shopping trip with Asami.

His lips find purchase at her throat, just below her jaw, and she has to bite her tongue to keep from moaning loudly.

"M-Mako!" she gasps, tugging at his hair. "We're in public!" He lifts his head, eyes meeting hers, and he smirks.

"Then I guess you'd better try and keep quiet." His hand pushes her underwear aside and he is sliding one long sinful finger inside of her and Korra barely manages turn her pleasured cry into a soft whimper. Mako adds another and curls both digits inside of her, making her buck against his hand as he captures her lips in his again, stifling the high-pitched keen that manages to escape her. He adds a third finger, thrusting against her walls as her eyelids flutter shut and she turns to putty in his hands.

Suddenly there are spots of light bursting beneath her eyelids and she tenses, shuddering with release and breaking away from Mako's lips to bury her face in the crook of his neck to silence her cries as her hips buck against his hand, riding out the swells of her orgasm.

"Jeez Mako," she chuckles breathlessly once she can think coherently, "if this is your reaction, maybe I should get you jealous more often."


	16. 7: Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are fighters; it is in their blood and their nature and their bodies and their spirits.

Korra's not good at expressing herself through words. She was raised in a compound with little human interaction outside of her family, teachers, and the Order of the White Lotus after all, and she was trained to fight. She spent twelve years learning to bend three of the elements, and spent months after trying to master another while fighting a war.

Her confession to Mako is awkward at best and when he says that he does not return her feelings, she starts a fight. Fighting is her comfort zone. One of the only times she truly feels in-control is in the midst of a battle or in the heat of an argument. She expresses her emotions best in a spar or training match.

Mako understands these feelings better than anyone. He spent the foremost years of his life fighting just to survive, to keep himself and his brother alive. He fought to make a living and against opponents usually far stronger and more experienced than himself. He fought to please the crowd, but most importantly, he fought because he had to.

So it goes without saying that when Mako and Korra argue, it is not with words, (harsh words mean nothing to them after all and they both know that they would say something to regret later), but with heated hands and burning fire. Any outsider who stumbled upon them and did not know otherwise would assume that they were fighting an Agni Kai. Weaving and bobbing between each other's fists, dodging flames and striking to land blows on skin that would bruise for a day or two before disappearing.

They are just two people, one sheltered from the horrors of the world, the other forced into the middle of them all, yet both have spent their lives fighting. So when they come together, they collide in a fury of fists and fire, taking comfort in the familiar dance and feel of the others movements until someone gains the upper hand and their clashing blows turn into dueling tongues and desperate hands and gentle caresses, but still, always, fighting for control.

The fight has been a part of their lives for so longs, it has become an art to them, a way of silent communication to tell each other silently the things that they cannot put into words.

They are fighters; it is in their blood and their nature and their bodies and their spirits; it is their way of life.

They are fighters, it is how they survive, how they will always survive.

And they wouldn't have it any other way.


	17. 25: Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra vaguely remembers visiting Republic City before. She was seven years old and Jinora had just been born and Katara decided she needed a chance to see the world outside of the compound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is actually going to be the prologue for a chaptered fic that will fill a request for ValerieJackson.

Korra vaguely remembers visiting Republic City before. She was seven years old and Jinora had just been born and Katara decided she needed a chance to see the world outside of the compound. So with the White Lotus' permission and four accompanying guards, Katara was allowed to take Korra to the City to visit the new baby.

They stayed for ten days and Korra got lost a total of six times. The first time it was an accident; she stumbled into a crowd of people and got separated from Katara on their second day in the city and wandered around looking for her until she ended up in a small park. She sat down at the edge of a pond, silent tears streaming down her face, (because she was seven, and seven-year-olds _don't_ sob), until something moved in the corner of her eye.

She turned to see a boy who couldn't be any older than herself; he was wearing dirty clothes and there was a smudge of dirt on one cheek.

"Why are you crying?" he asked; Korra didn't have a chance to respond before another boy came running up behind him.

"Bo! I told you to stay put!"

"But Mako she was crying!"

"W-was not!" Korra denies, hastily wiping at her eyes with the sleeves of her parka.

"Was too!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Who _are_ you?"

"I'm Bolin!" the boy smiled, "I'm six. This is Mako, he's eight. Who are you?"

"Korra." She looked around and an idea sprung into her mind. "Are your parents here?" she asked hopefully; they could probably help her find Katara!

"No," the older boy snapped.

"Oh," he face fell and he suddenly softened, looking at Bolin and taking a seat next to him.

"Where are _your_ parents?"

"The South Pole." Both boys looked startled a moment. "I'm here with my Sifu, but we got separated." She reached a hand out over the water, moving it in lazy circles without touching it until she had created a small whirlpool.

"You're a bender too!" Bolin announced excitedly, "that's so cool! How old are you?"

"Seven," she announced proudly, "I've been bending since I was four."

"I only started last year," Bolin pouted. "But Mako's been bending forever!"

"Since I was five," Mako corrected, "everything seems like forever to you Bo." Korra laughed when Bolin stuck his tongue out at the older boy.

"How long have you two been friends?"

"Since I was born!"

"We're brothers," Mako explained at Korra's confused look, ruffling Bolin's hair.

"I don't have any brothers or sisters; just me and Sifu Katara."

"What about your parents?" Mako asked.

"I don't live with them."

"Why not?" Korra shrugged, flopping down onto her back.

"It's gonna get dark soon," Bolin stated.

"How do you know?"

"The lamps just came on."

"I'm never gonna find Sifu Katara! And she's gonna be so mad at me and they're never gonna let me outside ever again!" Korra's lips wavered and she forgot for a moment that she was seven-years-old and not supposed to cry as she hiccoughed a sob, pressing her hands against her eyes.

"Maybe we can help," Bolin suggested.

"R-really?" she sat up and looked at the boys.

"Fine," Mako agreed, relenting under the power of his brother's pleading gaze and Korra's hopeful face. "Do you remember where you were when you got lost?"

"Sifu Katara took me shopping with her," she scrunched up her nose in concentration, "it smelled like dead fish and smoke and old wood."

"I know where that is!" Bolin cried. "It's by the pier; there's a group of people there that sell water tribe stuff." Mako frowned.

"Are you sure Bo? That's pretty far from here." Bolin nodded furiously, scrambling to his feet. Mako rolled his eyes and stood, holding out a hand to pull Korra to her feet.

"Thanks," she smiled at him, following him towards the park entrance. The entire search was filled with Bolin playing the hyperactive tour guide, pointing out landmarks and familiar places with Mako pitching in to correct him whenever he made a mistake. By the time they reached the pier it was dark outside and all of the shops and stands had closed and there was no-one familiar around. Korra wandered over to the edge of the water.

"This is all my fault. I got lost and now I'm never gonna go home or see my mommy or daddy or Katara or anyone and it's my fault 'cause I let go of her hand!" she yelled at herself.

"I'm sure we'll find her," Mako assured her hesitantly, "she's gotta be looking for you too, right?"

"I don't know. Even if she is, she still might never find me and it'll still be all my fault." Bolin pouted and walked over, throwing his chubby arms around Korra's neck.

"Don't worry; I've wandered off loads of times and Mako always finds me." Korra laughed, hugging the smaller boy back.

"We should stay here," Mako decided, sitting down with his back against a wooden pole. "Maybe she'll come back." Bolin immediately released Korra in favor of climbing into his brother's lap.

"Sooner or later you're going to get too big for that."

"Nuh-uh," Bolin insisted, tugging on his brother's collar. Mako just rolled his eyes, pulling down his collar and unbuttoning his jacket enough to pull out a red scarf. He wrapped it around Bolin's neck and soon the younger boy was soon fast asleep. Korra sat down next to her and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Mako?" the older boy turned to look at her, "won't your parents be looking for you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because they're gone." The way he said the word made Korra look at him, an eight-year-old boy with his little brother and tattered clothes, and she understood. 'Gone' was the word that the grown-ups used to tell little kids that someone had died. It was the word that her parents had used when her gran-gran on her mommy's side and her pop-pop on her daddy's side had died.

"Who do you live with then? I live with Sifu Katara and the elders."

"I live with Bolin."

"No other family?"

"No."

"What about friends?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions."

"You didn't answer me."

"Bo and I don't have friends."

"You have me don't you?"

"You're kinda crazy, aren't you?" Korra just laughed at him and Mako couldn't help it when his lips quirked into a small smile.

They sat in silence for a while, Korra leaning back on her hands to watch the full moon rise as Mako ran a hand through Bolin's curly hair, until they heard voices near-by. Mako tensed, his hand freezing, and Korra sat up, listening closely.

"She can't have gotten too far."

"But what if she's in trouble?"

"Then Katara will have our heads." Korra's face lit up as she recognized the voices.

"Nira!" she yelled.

"Korra?" two people, one man and one woman rounded a corner at a run; both were clad in civilian clothes but Korra immediately recognized them as two of the four guards that had accompanied her to the City. Korra jumped to her feet in time for Nira to scoop her up in a hug.

"Where have you been?" the young woman scolded, "We've been worried sick!"

"I got lost! But my friends helped me find the docks!"

"What friends?" the young man, Jun, asked.

"Those frie-" Korra froze when she turned around to find Mako and Bolin no longer sitting behind her. "Butthey were just here"

"I'm sure they were," Nira placated, "come on. Katara's waiting." Without further ado, she picked the seven-year-old avatar up and began the walk to the ferry where the air acolytes were waiting to take them back to the island. Korra frowned, resting her head tiredly on Nira's shoulder.

Needless to say, the next five times Korra got 'lost', it was completely on purpose and she spent the entire time in the park that had led her to the two boys, one of whom would eventually become her best friend, while the other would become one of her greatest enemies.


	18. 6: Bored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako has always been a quick study. Yet one of the most important lessons he has learned is to never let Korra get bored.

Mako has always been a quick study. He is a fast learner, is swift on his feet, and has an uncanny ability to keep calm under pressure. Yet one of the most important lessons he has learned is to never let Korra get bored; as long as she has even the smallest, most menial task to keep her occupied, she's fine, but a bored Avatar is a quick recipe for disaster.

He learns this the hard way, of course; months after Amon's disappearance and the repairs on the city have finally been completed. The arena is up and running and Korra finally finished returning the bending to all of the people that Amon had stolen it from. Bolin wants to re-form the Fire Ferrets, but Korra is still mastering airbending and one of Toza's old friends has recently invited Mako to teach at a bending school in the heart of the city.

Tenzin gives Korra a day off from training soon after the repairs are finished, and with no work to be done in the city and no Avatar duties to be fulfilled, Korra was for once at a loss for something to do. So when Meelo suggests that she help him wash the sky bison and their stables, the waterbender accepts. After a disaster involving waterbending, some extremely frightened air acolytes, and the entire herd of sky bison, a silent agreement was reached between Mako, Tenzin, Pema, and Bolin to find a way to keep Korra occupied at all times for fear of the consequences.


	19. 22: Hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So yes, Mako, we are going to hide. And then we are going to come back to Republic City and kick some Equalist butt."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is meant to be read as a direct follow-up to chapter 9, theme 18: Different.

"How is she?" Bolin asks quietly, following Mako down the makeshift road.

"Still asleep," Mako answers, "any word on Asami or the airbenders?"

"No. I got Jinora to the rendezvous point and Tenzin wasn't there; looked like there had been a fight."

"How's Jinora holding up?"

"Fine. A little shaken up, but she's been helping out with some of the younger kids."

"This is a disaster," Mako mutters. "At this rate, we'll be lucky if there even is a Republic City left to fight for after all of this."

"So much for the power of positive thinking."

"The 'power of positive thinking' is what got us into this mess in the first place!"

"You think that we should give up."

"No; yes; I don't know Bolin." Mako sighs, taking a seat on a flat rock next to his brother. "Are we really prepared for this? I mean, hasn't Amon already won?"

"What makes you think he's won?"

"Bolin, look at where we are! Amon has the city and we're hiding underground with an Avatar who can't bend!"

"Mako's right." A voice interjects quietly; the brothers both turn to find Korra standing behind them, Jinora at her side. "We're not prepared. As much as I would love to confront Amon and take him down, I can't. I can't bend; I can barely walk on my own. If we try to fight now, more innocent people are going to get hurt."

"You sound like you have a plan," Mako observes as Bolin helps Korra sit down.

"Tenzin left a note with Jinora's sky bison," she explains. "He sent a telegraph to the United Forces. If I'm right they should be here in another day or two."

"You want to head them off," Mako realizes.

"With the resources that he has, Amon will know that they're coming. I want to get as many civilians as possible out of Republic City and then head to the South Pol."

"What's in the South Pole?" Bolin asks.

"Gran-gran," Jinora explains. "We hope that maybe she can find a way to restore Korra's bending."

"So we're going into hiding?" Mako asks incredulously.

"We're outnumbered and outgunned," Korra snaps. "We need to retreat and regroup. Tenzin has been trying for months to teach me patience, and I'm finally starting to understand. Now we have no idea where he is, we have no idea where Asami is, or if either of them is alive, and I refuse to lose anyone else. So yes, Mako, we are going to hide." She glares, forcing herself to her feet. "And then we are going to come back to Republic City and kick some Equalist butt."


End file.
